


Lay It All On Me

by le_singe_est_sur_la_branche



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Asexual Character, Awkward Flirting, Confession, F/M, First Kiss, Fluffy, Human Inquisitor - Freeform, awkward everything really, my lovely awkward baby of an Quisi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:10:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5159849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/le_singe_est_sur_la_branche/pseuds/le_singe_est_sur_la_branche
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm a really good swimmer." She blurted, flushing pink at his confused smile.<br/>"That's good?" He asked hesitantly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lay It All On Me

**Author's Note:**

> So....If I butcher writing an Asexual character, please do berate me and correct me. I tried to leave it really as far as from sex and still be fluffy and warm as I could. I hope I did okay?
> 
> This takes place after all the stuff with Cory-shit but like really soon after, so way before Trespasser.
> 
> Title from the song Lay It All On Me by Rudimental and Ed Sheeran
> 
> Gabe, my Quisi, is also a personal Inquisitor and is not a Trevelyan. That's not really necessary to know, but just wanted to make it clear. 
> 
> Also, I apologize for the very high level of awkwardness. It was inevitable.

"I am sorry, Inquisitor, I was up all night, this will not happen again." Cullen looked shamefully at the stack of unread missives and paperwork. Gabe followed his gaze, frowning deeply.

"Nightmares?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, Maker's breath, that obvious?" He muttered, angry at himself. His shoulders were hunched over, stiff, a weary look about him. 

"Not hard when I see the same signs in myself every morning." She admitted, glancing at the Anchor, then out the window. "How bad was last night?"

"I spent the night in fitful sleep convinced I was going to drown under it all." Cullen admitted, his voice almost non-chalent, heading to his desk. Gabe was silent for a long moment, before nodding in understanding.

"Don't worry about the paperwork, Cullen. Nothing is that important to work yourself to death for. Or so Varric tells me." She smiled smally before turning on her heel and leaving him to his desk and his thoughts. 

Later, after raging thoughts and three pep talks from Varric, Iron Bull and Cole respectively, Gabe went back up to Cullen's office, carrying two mugs of strong coffee. She found him stooped over, scribbling in his cursive scratch. He finished his sentence before looking up, smiling smally when they meet eyes.

"Oh, thank you, Inquisitor." He said softly, standing up. He groaned painfully, stretching out his back and neck with a grimace. She handed him his cup with a sympathetic frown. She waited till he had taken a long drink before speaking.

"I'm a really good swimmer." She blurted, flushing pink at his confused smile.

"That's good?" He asked hesitantly.

"I mean, in response to what- Earlier today you said you felt like you were drowning-....I'm a really good swimmer." She was so embarrassed, watching understanding donning on his face, his own cheeks and ears going bright red. He coughed, setting his cup down.

"I-"

"I'm sorry....I-I had a whole speech, things I wanted to say.....I'm doing this all wrong...Maker's arse, how am I fucking up so badly? I even practiced with Cole!"

"You practiced with Cole." Cullen was grinning now, boyish and bright, his face red but his eyes a beautiful brown. She squeaked, clamping a hand over her mouth, shaking her head, ducking her head in horrified embarrassment. She didn't see him, but she heard him move around the table so she hardly jumped when his hands touched her arms.

"I'm sorry, this is stupid-" She began.

"Gabrielle." He hushed softly. She inhaled sharply, looking up at him, surprised to see him looking at her so affectionately. She had been so stupid all these years. Cullen moves in for the kiss, the first kiss, and Gabe just sorts of panics. She's never been socially apt, but she can't even explain this sudden awkwardness that just...takes over.

"I don't want to have sex with you." She gasps after it leaves her mouth, looking more surprised than Cullen. He hesitates, his head cocks to the side, making the light shine just right on his hair and she really hates herself for fucking everything up. 

"I'm sorry?" He tries.

"I mean, I don't want to have sex with anyone. At all. I don't want to have sex. I don't find you sexually attractive. I'm not sexually attracted to anyone, or anything for that matter. Oh, Andraste's tits. Just kill me, please, it'd make everything that much less awkward." She heaved a breath, buried her face in her hands and tried to smother the air out of her lungs. She jerked to look at him when he laughed, his dorky little laugh that makes her feel all warm inside. 

"It's okay." He gave her a soft look, and her cheeks feel like one of Dorian's fire spells have gone wrong and burnt her face. Again. "I don't mind." He set a gentle hand on her arm, the other sliding between her hand and cheek to cup her face. He moved in to kiss her again, but stops halfway there. "Is this okay, though?" He asked and she nodded eagerly, so eagerly, bumping his knees in an effort to get closer. 

"Uh, ah, wait." She pulled back at the last second. "I...I'm not very practiced. Beside that...incident a while back, I haven't kissed anyone since I was 17." She was honestly so embarrassed with herself right now.

"I can't say I have much practice either." He admitted.

"Well, I guess if we don't know how to do right, we don't know we're doing it wrong, either, yeah?" She offered hopefully and he smirks that cocky way of his and kisses her before she can fuck it up again. It's warm, soft, and pleasant. Not long enough, but it's a good beginning. A great one actually. He pulled back, or tried to, she followed his lip, kissing him again and again till she has to let him pull back for breathing reasons. His cheeks are pink and his lips are red, she's got him against his desk. "Sorry." She went to step back, but he tightens the arm that encircled her waist, keeping there between his legs. 

"We should do that again. I mean...if you want to?" He offered, hesitant. 

"I could spend all day doing that." She really needed a brain to mouth filter. Cullen blushed, stunned, before laughing and pulling her in for more kisses, slow and careful but oh so wonderful. 

"This is going to be the most awkward relationship ever recorded in Thedas history." Someone drawled from the doorway and both blonds clatter apart, coughing and blushing as Dorian grinned, pleased as a cat that pinned down his prey. 

"Was there something you needed, Dorian?" Gabe asked, rubbing at her forearms. 

"Ambassador Montilyet was asking after you but I will let her know that you're predisposed with the Commander." Dorian grinned, smug bastard that he was. 

"Oh, go off and gossip." Cullen waved him away. Dorian laughed, delighted, but he did indeed make his leave, shutting the door behind with him with a wink in Gabe's direction.  
"By morning, Empress Celene will know of this." Gabe groused, stirring a laugh from Cullen. "I guess I should go see what Josephine wants. It's probably about the incoming Antivan nobles." Gabe said, but there was a hesitance to her. 

"We've gotten a few new horses from Orlais in the stables, I was going to take one out for a ride tomorrow morning. Would you like to join me?" Cullen asked, awkwardly, a boyish smile pushing at his lips. Gabe nodded eagerly.

"Yes, yes, of course!" She blurted before backtracking. "I mean, if you think they can keep up with Thorn and I." She said, a bit teasingly, alluding to her favorite Red Hart. Cullen smirked.

"It'll be an interesting ride, no doubt. I'll come get you after breakfast, then."

"Be prompt, otherwise Josephine will have me elbow deep in Orlesian nobles." 

"I'll be early." He promised. They both hesitated, before he leant in and she tilted her head up the one perfect inch for him to nearly miss her mouth, but they managed after an awkward chuckle on his part and a growing red warmth across her nose on hers. "Good night, Inquisitor."

"Good night." She agreed, smiling a bit dreamily as she made her exit.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if I made any mistakes with grammar, spelling, general bad writing stuff.  
> Also, if I fucked up writing an Asexual character, let me know.  
> Comment/kudos if you liked it!  
> I MAY post more with these two in the future. Big MAY for emphasis on the huge maybe.  
> THANK YOU!


End file.
